Gas-radiator



T. 1. POTTER.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

UNITED earner orrics.

GAS-RADIATOR. i

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

Application filed December 3, 1919. Serial No. 342,248.

To all whom its may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. Forum, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angelesand State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement Comprising Gas-Radia tors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to gas radiators, that is to say, radiators which have the general form and appearance of steam radiators, but which are provided with a gas jet so that they are self-contained.

I have found in practice that it is extremely difficult to design any form of gas radiator which can be operated satisfactorily under a wide variation in flue conditions. Such devices are often installed using very small and insufficient fines, and at other times it isnecessary to connect them into chimneys which produce a very strong draft. There is also a great difference in the draft produced in any particular chimney under widely different conditions. In first starting up any sort of a heating appliance on a cold chimney the draft produced is quite feeble and considerable difliculty is often experienced in getting gas appliances to operate under these conditions. On the other hand, after the gas appliance has been working for a short time the flue becomes heated and a strong draft is produced. Where the draft is feeble it is difficult to prevent the heating appliance from being smothered due to in sufficient draft, and where there is a very strong draft many types of heating devices are inefficient due to the fact that large quantities of air in excess of the amount required for combustion are drawn through the heating device, thus tending to abstract heat therefrom, this heat going up the chimney in the form of heated gases.

An object of my invention is to provide a radiator having a self-contained flue in each section of unit, in which the draft will be very quickly established and which will maintain a uniform circulation of air through the radiator largely independent of the draft of the chimney, and to which the radiator is connected. A

A further object of the invention is to provide means for admittingair directly into the main fine so that when the flue tends to produce an excessive draft that this condi tion will be relieved by the direct admission of air to the flue, which air is not passed 22 are connected toget through the radiator. and which does not therefore tend to decrease the efficiency of the radiator by the passage of air therethrough. i

A still further object of the invention is to provide means in connection with the gas radlator for supplying air continuously to the flue when the radiator is not in operation. I have found that there is a strong tendency for moisture to collect in fines and that it is extremely hard to start a gas radiator on a moist flue. 1 therefore provide means in my radiator for maintaining a circulation of air through the flue after the fire in the radiator 15 extinguished, this circulation clearingtlre flue of any gases which might be contained therein which would tend to condense, and at the saine time removing from the flue by evaporation any moisture which may be cone tamed therein.

Further objects and advantages will I be made evident hereinafter.

Referring to the drawings which are for illustrative purposes only, i

Figure 1 is'a perspective view of a radiator embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a section through one of the heat ing units ofthe radiator.

Fig. is a section through the vent unit of the radiator; and, i r

Fig. a is a section on a reduced scale showing an alternative form of heating unit.

In. practice, ll prefer to make my radiator of an odd number of units, the central unit 11,;hereinafterdesignated as the vent unit, being placed in the center of certain other units 152, hereinafter referred to as heating units. Extending longitudinally through openings 13 is agas burner 14. Each of the heating units 12 is provided with an air inlet opening 15 in the bottom thereof, this open-. ing being below the burner 14 and. the i11 terior of the unit being open so thatthe products of combustion can pass upwardly from what may be termed the primary or combustion chamber 16 through passages 17, 18 and 19 into what maybe termed the secondary orexpansion chamber 22:" The passages 1? ,18 and 19 are of very much smaller cross-section than the combustion chamber 16 anddeliver the products of combustion over a pocket 20. The expansion chambers her through openings 23, these openings delivering thehot gases toward the center of the radiator, the vent section 11 being also provided with openings 23 on either side through which these hot.

gases flow into an upper chamber 2d. The bottom of this chamber is formed by a shelf 25 with a space forming an opening 2-6 at one side thereof and a second shelf 27 is placed below this. opening, a vent28 being v I Fig. 3.

provided between the shelves as shown in r The where it' passes through the section 11 so that the products of combustion can only enter the section 11 through the opening A, starting opening 30 is provided nearthe bottom ofjthe Section 11. 1

In some cases I have found it desirable to make the radiator in the form "shown in r it can bec'ar'ried off with the other products V Fig- 41, which shows a heating section, the siphon being formed'of passages 31 and 32 located in one side of the radiator.

The method of operation of my invention is as follows:

r The burner being lighted through the opening closed by a cover 35in one "end of the radiator, the products of combustion soon'fill the combustion chambers 16Zand pass through thepassages 17,18; and 19into' the expansionchambers 22. By making. these'pas'sages of relatively small area I am able to get a high velocity and to prevent V the products of combustion from seeping back into the combustion chambers. Any

condensation settles in'the pockets 20 which are adjacent to-the burner'l't so that they are heated by direct heat from the burner, thus revaporizing the condensation so that i of combustion through the openings 23. The

products of -"combustion being'deliyered through the openings 23 into the chamber 24 they flow throughthe opening. 26, being takenoff bylthe vent 28..

Itwill be noted that the'passage' 17 pro- 1 -vides a. self-contained draft means which I is of very" great value in starting as it isvery 'quicklyheated and the draft is instantly established." V

V It will be further noted that the passages I 17., 18 and 19 are so arranged thatany gases of combustion which are passed over the bend therein cannot return to thecombustion chamber and smother out the fire It should'be; further noted that the vent 28 is placed next to the wall so that the heated portion of thesiphon is away from the. wall and towardthe room, whichis' the space to be heated. "Asa result the front portion of ing to heat all of the material in the radia- I the radiator reaches the desired'temperature. almost; at once and begins radiating heat into the room without the necessity ofi wait It should further. be noted that ith'e combustion "chamber 29 in the vent section'is heated as -soon as the burner is lighted and burner 14 is inclosed in a housing 29 i said chamber;

bers.

that this heated section heats the air in the lower portion of the vent sect on, wh1ch air immediately starts a draft through the vent 2 8, the air for this draft being supplied throughthe opening 30. This lower draft is started. almost atonce after the radiator is lighted. i

It should be further noted thataft er the radiator has been operating for some time and the fire shut off therein that the natural draft of the hot flue directs air through the opening 30 thus clearing the flue of any gases which might condense, and thoroughly drying out the flue by evaporating therefrom any moisture contained therein.

T he opening 30 is also of great value in ventilating the room, air being taken constantly therethrough, this air belng'taken oif close I to the floor at which point the cold air containing most of the impurlties tends 'to settle.

I claim as my invention 1. Ina gas radiator, the combination of for producing hot "gases of combustion in chamber; means for withdrawing hot gases from saidexpansion chamber; and walls forming an inverted U-shaped passage between said combustion and expansion chame 2.111 a gas radiator the combination of walls forming an upper chamber; means for introducing heated gases of combustion into said chamber; walls forming a lower chamber, the wall between said chambers having a space forming an opening therein;

' a'vent pipe leading out o'fsaid lower champansion chamber, and walls forming-an inverted. U-shaped passage extending from that-op of said combustlon chamber up :one

side, across the top, and down the other-side ofsaid expansion chamber and delivering saidproducts of combustion to the lower portion of said expansion chamber.

lklina gas radiator, the combination of walls forming a combustion chamber, 'a' gas burner delivering'its products of combus tion into. said combustion chamber, walls forming an expansion chamber 'above'said combust onchamber, walls forming'an exit opening'in one side of said expansion chambe. near-the top thereof, and walls-forming an inverted U-shaped passage extending walls forming an expansion walls forming a combustion chamber; means 7 from the top of said'combustion chamber up one side, across the top, and down the other side of said expansion chamber and delivering said products of combustion to the lower portion of said expansion chamber.

5. In a gas radiator, the combination of walls forming a combustion chamber, a gas burner delivering its products of combustion into said combustion chamber, walls forming an expansion chamber above said combustion chamber, walls forming a pocket in open communication with said expansion chamber, said pocket being so placed that said walls are heated by said burner, means for withdrawing said products of combustion from said expansion chamber, and walls forming an inverted U-shaped passage extending from the top of said combustion chamber up one side, across the top, and down the other side of said expansion chamber and delivering said products of combustion to the lower portion of said expansion chamber.

6. In a gas radiator, the combination of walls forming a combustion'chamber, a gas burner delivering its products of combustion into said combustion chamber, walls forming an expansion chamber above said combustionchamber, walls forming a pocket in open communication with said expansion chamber, said pocket being so placed that said walls are heated by said burner, Walls forming an exit opening in one side of said expansion chamber near the top thereof, and walls forming an inverted U-shaped passage extending from the top of said combustion chamber up one side, across the top, and down the other side of said expansion chamber and delivering said products of combustion to the lower portion of said expansion chamber. I

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 21st day of November, 1919.

THOMAS J. POTTER. 

